Inking-plate



O. EADS.

INKING PLATE.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. 7, 1920.

1 344,026. Patented J une 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

3 g'maewko'c scar [a als- 0. EADS.

INKING PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 1. I920.

Patented June 22, 1920.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gwuenfo'o Hscar Zn 016 I r r I UNITED STATES PIAT'ENTAAOFFICE.

v oscAn EYADS, or OKMULGEE, OKLAHOMA.

QINKING-PLATE.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, OSCAR Enos, a citizen of the United States, residing at Okmulgee, in the county of Okmulgee and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inking-Plates, of which the following is a specification,"refer- 'ence being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improve- -ments in inking plates for printing presses, and it is an object of the invention to pro vide a novel and improved device of this general character which may be employed with. different colors and wherein means is provided to prevent said different colors from merging or blending.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character including means whereby the ink is effectively distributed over the working face of the plate and wherein means is provided to permit the plate to be employed in connection with inks of different colors.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this general. character, including rotatably supported disks to facilitate the distribution of the ink and wherein one of said disks is substantially centrally located, together with means for rendering said last named disk operative or inoperative as may be required by the occasions of practice.

, Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this general character which is particularly adapted for use when it is desired to print a plurality of colors at one impression whereby the time and labor required in multicolorwork may be materially reduced, together with means whereby the device may be employed with. equal facility and advantage in connection with one color work.

The invention consists in the details of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved inking plate whereby certain 1mportant advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. I 4 I Thenovel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jun 22, 1920 Application ,filed February 7, 1920. SerialNo. 356,960.

companying drawings, wherein Figure l'is a view in top plan of an inking plate constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention. A

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.-

Fig- 3, is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1,;the disks being in elevation. v

Fig. 5 is a view in bottom plan of the structure as herein disclosed; and

Fig. 6 is a view in plan of a second form of supplemental plate. A

As disclosed in the accompanying draw ings, P denotes the main or principal ink distributing plate substantially square. in plan with the corner portions cut away as indicated at 1, and the outer end of said plate is provided with a pair of outstanding lugs or extensions 2. Underlying the plate P is a frame F of a skeleton type and which is secured to said plate P by the bolts v3 or the like. The bolts are disposed upwardly through the frame F at desired points and engage the under portion of the plate P.

Surrounding the bolts 3 and interposed between theplate P and the frame F are the split spacing sleeves or bushings 4E. p

The upper face of the plate P has provided therein a groove or channel 5 extending entirely thcreacross from end to end and centrally of the plate, and at opposite sides of said groove or channel 5 are the substantially circular recesses or depressions. 6 in communication with the groove or channel 5. As herein disclosed, there is a pair of depressions or recesses 6 at each sideof the groove or channel 5 and spaced apart in a direction longitudinally of said groove or disk 7 is effectively supported for rotation, I

9 at the press end of the plate being larger than the gears 9 at the opposite end of the plate. The gears 9 at the press end of the plate P are in mesh so that the same will rotate in unison andatthe same speed. Interposed between the smaller gear wheels 9 and in mesh therewith is an idler gear 10 carried by a shaft 11 rotatably supported by and between the plate P and the frame F. Interposed between one of the small gears 9 and a larger gear 9 is anidle gear .12 in mesh therewith and carried by a shaft 1st rotatabl'y supported by and between the plate P and the frame F.

During the operation of the press, a conventional type of ratchet mechanism (not shown) coacts with one of the gears 9 to effect an intermittent rotation of the disks 7, and whereby the desired distribution of the ink is obtained with the respect to the inking rollers comprised in the inking mechanism of the press. Snugly fitting within the groove or channel 5 of the plate P is a supplemental plate S having provided in its side marginal portions the recesses 15 closely conforming to the portions of the disks 7 extending within the groove or channel 5. The upper face of'the supplemental plate S is also flush with the upper face of the plate P.

The central portion of the supplemental plate S is provided with a circular opening 16 in which is snugly arranged a central disk 17. Depending from the axial center of the disk 17 is a shaft or ournal 18 which is disposed through the plate P and also operatively engaged with the frame F. Afixed to the shaft or journal 18 at a point between the plate P and the frame F is a gear 19 with which is adapted to mesh a shifting gear 20 which gear 20, when in mesh with the gear 19, also meshes with one of the gears '9, preferably a larger gear 9, so that the disk 17 will be driven thereby.

As herein disclosed, the shifting gear 20 is rotatably carried by the inner end portion of a lever 21. The central portion of the lever 21 is fulcrumed or pivotally engaged with the shaft or journal 8 of a gear 9 with which said gear 20 meshes. The opposite or outer end portion of the lever 21 extends beyond "a margin of the plate P and preferably at a corner thereof so that said lever 21 may be manually operated to throw the gear 20 into or out of mesh with the gear 19 and the coacting gear 9.

The lever 21 is provided with a latch mechanism 22 of a conventional type which coacts with a rack 24: carried by the frame F whereby the lever 21 may be locked against moveinentwhen the gear 20 is in either working or released position.

The supplemental plate S, as herein disclosed, is provided at substantially its transverse center with a longitudinally disposed groove 25, extending the entire length thereof, and with which registers and alines a radial groove 26 extending entirely across the disk 17 when said disk is free of operative connection with the gear 20. \Vith this arrangement, the plate P is adapted for use in connection with two colors of ink, one color of ink being arranged upon the plate I P at opposite sides of the groove 25 and the 80 alined groove 26. lVith the use of inks of different colors, the central disk 17 is sta tionary and the grooves 25 and 26 serve to prevent the inks of different colors from blending or mixingso that during the work ing operation of the press, two distinct colors can be printed with one impression and thereby eliminating the conventional manner of two color work where the printer is forced to run with one color and then change forms and print with the second color, and which also includes the necessity of washing the plate and disks and the printing rollers.

hen it is desired to employ my improved device with only a single color, the

plate S is removed and the plate S employed. The plate S is substantially the same as the plate S except that its outer or workim surface is not provided with the groove as is the plate S. hen my improved device is adapted for use with a single color, the gear 19 is caused to mesh with the gear 20 and one of the gears 9 so that the disks 7 and 17 will all be caused to in termittently rotate and whereby an effective distribution of the ink is assured.

My improved inking plate, as herein disclosed, is particularly adapted for use in connection with job presses, although with slight modification or change, it can be adapted for use with presses of various types. When my plate is employed in connection with multi-color work, it is to be understood that the opposite side portions of a form are reversely directed and that after the sheets have once been fed through the press, they are again employed but delivered to the press in reverse form. f

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that an ink plate constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself I to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. An ink distributing plate for a print ing press provided with depressions in its working face, disks snugly fitting within said depressions, each of said disks including a journal extending through the plate, gears fixed to the journals, certain of said gears being larger than the remainder, the larger gears being in mesh, an idle gear meshing with one of the larger gears and a small gear and a second idle gear meshing with the small gears.

2. An ink distributing plate having a plurality of depressions at each side of a central line of the plate, disks rotatably mounted within said depressions, gears operatively engaged with the disks and in driving engagement, said plate being provided with a depression at its central portion, a disk fitting in said last named depression, a gear operatively engaged'therewith, and a shifting gear carried by the plate and movable into or out of engagement with the last named gear and a gear of one of the first named disks.

3. An ink distributing plate having a plurality of depressions at each side of a central line of the plate, disks rotatably mounted within said depressions, gears operatively engaged with the disks and in driving engagement, said plate being provided with a depression at its central portion, a disk fitting in said last named depression, a gear operatively engaged therewith, and a shifting gear carried by the plate and movable into or out of engagement with the last named gear and a gear of one of the first named disks, said last named disk being provided with a groove extending thereacross, the plate being also provided with a groove with which the first named groove is adapted to aline.

4. An ink distributing plate for a printing press provided with depressions in its working face, disks snugly fitting within said depressions, each of said disks including a journal extending through the plate, gears fixed to the journals, a pair of gears being in mesh, an idle gear meshing with a I second palr of gears, and a second idle gear meshing with a gear of each of said pairs.

5. An ink distributing plate having a plurality of depressions at each side of a central line of the plate, disks rotatably mounted within said depressions, gears operatively engaged with the disks and in driving engagement, said plate being provided with a depression at its central portion, a disk fitting in said last named depression, a gear operatively engaged therewith, a shifting gear carried by the plate and movable into or out of engagement with the last named gear and a gear of one of the first named disks, and means for locking said shifting gear against movement when in either working or released position. v

6. An ink distributing plate provided with depressions in its working face, disks snugly fitting within the depressions and arranged in pairs connected for. unitary rotation, one pair of disks rotating at an axial speed diiferent than a second pair.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

OSCAR EADS. 

